Getting Started:This is a little about what I was talking about. Metro, the public transportation system in Washington, DC, will train some commuters on how to respond to terror attacks on the subway.

Civilians don't have to risk their lives for anything. They're just going to learn how to conduct an orderly evacuation of the train cars and how to get out of the tunnel systems.

It may not look like much on the face of it, but I believe these citizen-response units can make a big difference. Not only will this help mitigate a possible disaster, but it will remind people that we are at war and we all need to pitch in somehow.

My only concern is that it's taking so long to get programs like these started. One of the most enduring images of 9/11 was the lines of people wanting to donate blood to help the victims. When a disaster strike, people instinctively want to contribute somehow to help. Now that we know such a situation is imminent, it's best to show people how they can help as early as possible.